title: Eye diseases and the causes of blindness in the southwestern Equator (equatorial forest) in Zaire, data from an eye camp in three rural centers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine frequencies of eye diseases and causes of blindness in this rural area.
  
  
  METHODS
  During a one month period (February 1996), a study was carried out in three rural centers (Mbandaka, Iboko, Lukolela) in the South Western Equator, in the tropical equatorial forest area. A total of 700 patients were examined and ophthalmological examination included visual acuity, inspection of adnexa, refraction, slit-lamp examination, direct funduscopy and intraocular pressures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cataract and glaucoma were the major ocular diseases found. Among the patients 1/5 was legally blind, and common causes of blindness were: cataract (54%), glaucoma (30%), uveitis (6%), corneal disorder (5%), retinitis pigmentosa (3%), atrophy of eye (3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cataract and glaucoma constituted a public health problem in this rural area of Zaïre.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Kinshasa, Zaïre.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kaimbo wa Kaimbo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Missotten
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002386:Cataract / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo / Q000453:epidemiology; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy; D009896:Optic Atrophy / Q000453:epidemiology; D011634:Public Health; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D012174:Retinitis Pigmentosa / Q000453:epidemiology; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014197:Trees; D014329:Tropical Climate; D014605:Uveitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D014792:Visual Acuity